GoM on CBI autonomy an eyewash: Arun Jaitley

The govt on Tuesday constituted a GoM to prepare a law on the autonomy of the CBI in the wake of Supreme Court's scathing observations on the investigating agency

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday termed "an eyewash" the decision of the central government to form a Group of Ministers (GoM) to look into the issue of autonomy of the Central Bureau of Investigation.

"The Group of Ministers is only an eyewash. This has been a key point in the debate on Lokpal, and it has already been debated extensively," BJP leader Arun Jaitley said.

"Our members in the select committee of Rajya Sabha for the Lokpal bill had also suggested as to how the CBI can be made independent of government. The union cabinet has approved the Lokpal bill. There is some disagreement on two-three points but on many issues we are in agreement," he added.

"In such a situation, starting the debate from zero does not make sense," Jaitley added.

The government Tuesday constituted a GoM to prepare a law on the autonomy and independence of the CBI in the wake of Supreme Court's scathing observations on the investigating agency following its affidavit in the case relating to the allocation of coal blocks.

The apex court had called the CBI a "caged parrot".